Developer, Town Temporarily Resolve Dispute

September 12, 1995|By LAWRENCE STRAUSS; Courant Staff Writer

WINDSOR LOCKS — A developer and the town have temporarily resolved a dispute over sewer hookup fees.

Under the agreement, developer Michael Sponzo of TNS Realty can proceed with his project. At the same time, Sponzo has obtained a letter of credit from a bank to guarantee that he can pay the full amount of fees demanded by the town if it is determined that he owes that much.

The dispute is in litigation, and a judge is expected to determine how much Sponzo owes the town in hookup fees.

At issue is whether Sponzo should pay a hookup fee for each of the nine second-floor units he has converted in an Old County Road building.

Sponzo has obtained a $27,000 line of credit. That would be the hookup bill assessed to him if the $3,000-per-unit fee is determined to be correct.

In the meantime, the town building official, James Plumridge, said he has been authorized to give the building at 73 Old County Road a final inspection, possibly this week. He also has been cleared to issue a certificate of occupancy if the building passes the inspection, Plumridge said.

A similar dispute has pitted the town against a nonprofit group that is converting the former St. Mary's Church on Grove Street into 21 housing units.

David Hoopes, an attorney for the Mutual Housing Association of Greater Hartford, said the dispute is still pending in Superior Court.

Hoopes said Monday that he is aware of the temporary compromise involving Sponzo. But Hoopes said he strongly doubts if the housing association will pursue that option.

Hoopes filed a motion last month asking the court to allow the project to move forward and secure the necessary permits while the larger issue of how much should be paid in hookup fees is decided.

The dispute became public in December. The town insisted that it was owed $63,000, or $3,000 per unit, but Hoopes said the bill should be $3,000 at the most.

Catherine MacKinnon, executive director of the Mutual Housing Association of Greater Hartford, testified in court last month that having to pay $63,000 for the hookup would have a devastating effect on the project. The project is technically being coordinated by 55 Grove Street, an offshoot of the Mutual Housing Association.